Wolf Lake : The Second Season
by LoveStory87
Summary: This picks up where the series left off. Just my take on what should have happened between Luke and Sophia.
1. Chapter 1

Sophia moved about her room picking up clothes to pack when she felt someone standing behind her. Without turning around she could feel his energy and she took in his scent. Luke always had a very earthy scent and as she had approached her change his scent got stronger and she could almost envision herself drowning in it.

"Sophia, about last night..," he started moving closer to her.

Sophia turned around still folding the shirt that was in her hands. "I don't want to talk about it. Let me just say that I am sorry about your car and lets leave it at that. Okay?" When Luke didn't answer she turned back to her task placing the folded shirt in the suitcase laid out on her bed.

"What's going on?" Luke walked over to her bed and sat down.

"I am going to New York." Sophia swipped at his hand that was playing with her folded clothes.

"Going to visit a family member," he asked?

"Actually, I got my acceptance letter from Columbia last month."

Luka felt his stomach drop. This was the last thing he needed right now. He knew that his behavior the night before had caused him problems but he didn't know she was going to take it this bad. He watched her walking around the room picking up articles of clothing to pack when he noticed the pink dress in her hands. He could remember everything from that night at the lake which was surprising since he had been three sheets to the wind. He had called her beautiful and seen her face light up as if she had been waiting her whole life for someone to say that to her. It was the truth though. She had a grace to her that most their age lacked.

Luke grabbed her arm halting her progress. "If you leave you will never come back." She shrugged out of his reach putting a distance between them.

"I think it would be best if I go. I have never fit in here and this is a great opportunity." With her last shirt folded she closed her suitcase and walked out of the room knowing Luke would follow her.

"Whether you have changed or not you are a part of this pack and you need my mom's permission to leave." He followed Sophia down the stairs and into the kitchen where she got busy pulling ingredients for a sandwich out of the fridge.

"I spoke to her this morning. Since I haven't changed yet she said I was free to come and go as I please."

Luke started rubbing his temples feeling a headache coming on. His mom was going to get a piece of his mind when he got home. Now what? How was he going to get her to stay? Luke watched her work at making her sandwich not knowing what to say. What does this town have to offer compared to New York? "You are close to your change, I can feel it."

"How do you know?"

This is where it got complicated. He really didn't know how he could feel it, he just knew that he did. There was a connection between them that he had never had with Presley. There had been times when he could even feel her emotions.

Luke walked around the counter seperating them and without thought he grabbed her and softly put his lips on hers. The kiss was slow and he could feel her pulse quicken underneath his hand. When they broke apart he put his forehead against hers keeping his eyes shut. "Don't leave," he whispered.

As hard as it was she picked up her head looking him in the eyes. "I have to."

Vivian put her head in her hands. It had been a long day and she wished Williard had been there. Williard always knew how to handle Tyler and any other member of the pack who stepped out of line. This morning she had taken Tyler aside to remind him that selling drugs, especially to minors, was not something she was going to tolerate.

Tyler was always good for some drama. To describe him you would have to know what it feels like to be pestered by a fly for a whole day while trying to take a big exam. Today he wasn't her only problem though. She had just returned from Sherman's house where she witnessed a child who didn't make it through her change. The child looked to be about Luke's age and her heart had gone out to the grieving parents. The only thing she could do was offer to help with the funeral arangements.

From the front of the house Vivian heard her son slam the door making his way towards her office.

"How could you?" He stood in the doorway arms crossed looking as if he could kill.

"What did I do this time," she asked making her way towards the liquor cabinet. By now she had memorized where every drop of liquor was in her home. She had never been a big drinker but she used them to take the edge off.

"You're letting Sophia leave." He walked up to her taking the drink out of her hand.

"This is a wonderful oppurtunity for her. Why should I take it away? Most likely she isn't going to change so I have no durisdiction over her."

Luke slammed down the glass of whiskey sending the liquid flying. He heaved a sigh wondering when this nightmare would be over. "She can't leave. She is going through her change."

Vivian stared at her son feeling a protectiveness come over her. This boy in front of her was growing up and would one day be Alpha over the pack. She knew there was much for him to learn and she hadn't covered her eyes to his short comings. Every night he would be down by the lake with his delinquent friends smoking, drinking, and whatever else they could get their hands on. Luke was far from being ready to lead this pack. "How do you know she is close to her change?"

"I can feel it." He walked over to the desk lowering himself in the chair.

Vivian walked over to the chair he was in, kneeling down to look at his face. "Honey, the only way you could tell if she was changing is if you were her parent or…," she let the next thought hang between them. Luke turned his head and in his eyes she saw fear.

Matt sat in his patrol car filling out paper work he had let sit for too long. None of it was very interesting the most excitement that happened around here was petty theft. Usually it was caused by some stupid kid who didn't realize they were being captured on security cameras.

Matt loved this town and if it wasn't for that he would have been gone years ago when his wife died. There were still days when he wished he had left if only for Sophia's sake. When Sophia had received the acceptance letter from Columbia he had felt relieved as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. He knew that if she stayed she would end up being hurt by that mongrul Luke Cates. The boy acted as if the town belonged to him and his daughter was included in that package.

Just then Vivian Cates knocked on his window before opening the door and climbing into the passenger seat. "Good morning Sheriff."

"How can I help you?" He asked even though he went back to his paper work.

"I wanted to talk to you about Sophia."

With this Matt gave Vivian his full attention. "I am so proud of her. Thanks for letting her go. I know we have our rules but I think this will be good for her."

Vivian closed her eyes taking a deep breath. She knew this was going to be hard for him to hear and even harder for her to get him to agree. "Matt, something has come up and I don't think it would be a good idea for her to leave." She watched his face change from joy to disbelief to rage.

"You can't go back on your word now."

"Something has come up."

He leaned over to her bringing his face inches away. "I don't care what has come up. She is leaving tomorrow."

"She's his mate." She saw shock register on his face. He leaned back into his seat staring out the windshield.

Matt thought back to all the times he had tried to keep them apart and realized why she had been drawn to him in the first place. He had seen them together many times in the diner and he knew she went to see him at the lake but he thought she had moved on when she had gone on a date with Scott. Had he missed the signs? "How do you know?"

"He told me she is close to her change. I know you don't want to hear this but she is going to change and when she does she is going to need him as much as he needs her."

"I can teach her how to stop it."

Vivian sighed in frustration. "I understand that you are upset about you wife dying but this isn't your decision it's hers." Vivian watched Matt out of the corner of her eye. This was the man she loved but with all that had happened she barely recognized the man beside her. What was worst was that she knew he cared nothing for her or her family. Making Luke suffer would be pleasure to him. Splitting them up would be bad news especially if he was going to be Alpha some day. "I can't go back on my word so she is free to leave but I warn you that you are her parent and it is your job to do what is best for her. The truth is she is his mate and splitting them up could mean heartache for both of them. You want to do the right thing you will get her to stay." With that Vivian opened the door and walked away.

Luke sat in the woods as a wolf watching Sophia put the last of her boxes in the car. He also noticed Matt Donner making his way down the driveway to say goodbye. He could make out some of their conversation and vaguely heard Matt tell her to fill up the car before she left town and that she needed to change the oil once she got to New York. Luke knew there was nothing that was going to stop her from leaving. He had spoke to her one last time hoping to talk sense into her but it was to no avail. She could be real pig headed.

Before she got in the car he saw her pause to look in his direction. Even though he was covered in the bush he knew she could feel him. When Sophia pulled out Luke started following her car running parellel in the woods. When they reached the edge of town Luke stopped and sent an agonizing howl up in the air. Then he watched till her car vanished from sight.

Four Years Later

Sophia stared at herself in the mirror. For the third time this week she woke up in a cold sweat. The dream she had was not unfamiliar in fact she had this dream many times in the last four years but the howl of the wolf still made her blood run cold. She took herself in noticing the fact that she needed a haircut and there were bags under her eyes from all the late nights she had enjoyed lately.

On the bed she could hear James snoring and watched as he rolled over onto her side of the bed. She had been with James for two years now and was secretly hoping he was going to ask her to marry him. They had been set up on a blind date and had been together ever since.

Quietly she put on her clothes getting ready to head out for her morning run. She had never been the running type but since she had left Wolf Lake she had picked up the practice. There was something peaceful in running. Her body longed to feel the rythum of her heart pounding with the beat of her feet hitting the ground. This morning she would run a short three miles to give her time to take a shower and make her morning class.

This morning the street was quiet as usual but she felt as if she was being watched. It was a normal feeling since she had expected someone from Wolf Lake to show up and take her home but it had been four years and no one had shown up yet. Sophia loved watching the world come to life in the morning. By the time she made her way back to her block there would be people talking on cell phones and hurrying to work. The city would be buzzing with activity.

The run was slow taking her about thirty minutes which was five minutes more than her normal speed but she had wanted it to last a little longer this morning. She hadn't been on a run in a few days and her legs were screaming for exercise. Once she got back to her apartment she took a shower and and got ready for her class.

The minute she walked into Professor Banks classroom she knew something was wrong. There was a scent in the air that was familiar but she couldn't place where she had smelled it before.

"You look tired," her best friend Melody said taking a seat beside her. Sophia's first week in New York had been rough and she had even contemplated going back to Wolf Lake when she had met Melody. Her friend was interesting. A real free spirit. They had met in one of Sophia's first year classes and had been inseperable since.

"I had a late night with James."

Melody made a face making Sophia laugh."What a surprise. Just tell me that we are on for Thursday and I won't have to hurt him."

"I wouldn't miss your first showing for anything." Sophia scanned the room trying to find out why she felt so uneasy. When her eyes landed on the last person she thought she would see. Luke. There eyes met and she felt heat spread thoughout her body.

"Who is that?" Melody pulled her arm. "Old friend of yours?"

"I wouldn't say friend," Sophia saw Luke scowl knowing he had heard her comment. She watched him noticing the changes in his appearance. He was handsome. More handsome then she remembered. He had filled out since the last time she had seen him.

Sophia sat throughout the class feeling his eyes on her. When the class ended she got up with Melody and made her way out of the classroom not waiting for Luke.

"I don't know why you are running from him, he's hot." Melody stopped causing Sophia to stop with her.

"It's complicated." Just then the crowd parted and there was Luke staring at her.

Melody pushed Sophia in Luke's direction. "Go talk to him."

Sophia made her way towards Luke trying to think of things to say. What do you say to someone you haven't seen in a while? She had moved to New York to get away from him in the first place. He had used her and discarded her for Presley. The only thing she wanted to say to him was get lost.

Luke watched Sophia make her way towards him and felt her heartbeat quicken. She was nervous. To be honest, he was nervous himself. She had changed in the four years they had been apart. She wore her hair shorter than she used to and it was dyed very dark, almost black. She also had an obscene amount of makeup on whereas before she barely wore any.

"What are you doing here," she asked stopping a few feet in front of him.

"Hello to you too," he smirked at her. She was still feisty he thought to himself. "I wanted to talk to you. I..," but before he could finish his sentence a man walked up putting his arms around her. She turned around registering who it was before kissing him. Rage burned up within Luke. Who did this man think he was? It took all of his willpower to stay where he was and not rip this guy's heart out.

Sophia pulled away smiling up at the intruder."James this is Luke, Luke this is my boyfriend James."

James extended his hand waiting for Luke to shake it. When he finally did he put a little more force than necessary.

"Quite a grip you got there," murmurred James while rubbing his hand. Sophia scowled at Luke. "I just wanted to stop by and say hello before I head to work. I have a business dinner tonight so I might be a little late coming home."

Home? Luke was really starting not to like this guy. With a kiss on the cheek James was gone and they were alone once more.

"Home?" He looked at her sending her the message that he was not happy.

"You didn't come all this way to check up on my sleeping arrangements," she said walking away. They were now walking side by side and he couldn't help but notice something was off. When she left she had this auora about her as if something big was about to happen. That is when he realized and grabbed her arm stopping her progress.

"What did you do," he asked tugging on her arm.

"What are you talking about? Ouch. You're hurting me." He saw the pain in her eyes before grabbing her other arm and pulling her in close.

"Don't lie to me. When you left you were close to flipping. I don't feel it at all now and I know you didn't flip. What did you do?"

She took a deep breath and said the most terrifying words he had ever heard,"Dad taught me how to control it. I never have to flip."

He let her go feeling stunned by the realization that he may not be able to get through to her. He had planned on coming to New York and begging her to come home but he wasn't sure she would and with the fact that she had the ability to be completely human what would make her change now? He took a steadying breath trying to get his composure. "I didn't come here to check up on your so called sleeping arrangements. In a month I will be Alpha of the pack and I want you to come home. My mother made the wrong choice by letting you go but it is no longer her decision."

"It's not yours either. It's mine. I have a life here Luke. For once I belong somewhere. I have a man who loves me and friends who don't treat me like I am leftovers," he saw her eyes fill with tears. "Please don't take this away from me."

He ran his hands over his face," I am going to be in town till tomorrow. I will give you a chance to say goodbye." Then he left her knowing that he couldn't be around while she cried. Today he felt like the worst kind of toad. Was he doing the right thing? His mother thought so. She had even encouraged him to go get her.

His mother would have stopped her from going in the first place but she had already given her word and she wasn't one to go back on her word unless she had to. Luke had to admit that it had been harder than he thought it would be. He hadn't expected her to be in love with someone else. The thought made Luke want to thow up. The past four years he had waited for her. The thought that she had moved on stabbed him in the heart. To be fair he had hurt her many times. More times than he would like to count.

That night Sophia packed all her things before James got home. She had a hard time writing a note to him but she felt it would be the easiest way. There was so much more to the situation than she could tell him. Instead she wrote that she will always love him and that she had a family issue at home that she had to take care of. After that she headed to Melody's house where she cried and gave her the same half story she had written to James. Then she asked Melody if she would pack her clothes and mail them to her.

Sophia stood outside the hotel room Luke had told her he was staying in. All she wanted to do was run away. This was becoming a nightmare. The door opened in front of Sophia and Luke stepped aside allowing her to enter. She didn't say anything just walked over to the bed and curled up into a ball.

"I don't know if this means anything but I am sorry," he said walking over to her.

"If you're sorry you will let me stay." He sat down beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. She jumped back as if he had slapped her. "Don't touch me."

One Month Later

Luke sat at his fathers desk feeling overwhelmed by the resposibilities he now had. He had been made Alpha. Sophia had turned him down when he told her she would be staying at his home. Instead she ended up at Sherman's townhouse. The big house was quiet for the first time in Luke's life. His mother had moved out while he was in New York and she had told him that the house was to be his and Sophia's. For now it was his and he felt lonely in it. There hadn't been much business for him so far, so much of his day was spent at his fathers desk trying to figure out how to get Sophia back.

Her arrival in town had been big news and Luke had gotten many dirty looks from her father. His dream for her had been to get out of Wolf Lake and here she was back for good. It surprised him that Sheriff Donner hadn't stopped over to talk to him about it. He guessed the only reason he hadn't was because Luke was now Alpha and he still followed pack laws.

Sophia had found a job at the new club in town as a singer. Luke couldn't remember ever knowing that she could sing. He had never heard her. Luke had requested a meeting with the club owner and had made it clear that she was to be watched. Also she was off limits. She hadn't spoke to him very much since her return and he wasn't going to take the chance that she would start a relationship with a member of the pack.

Every night she sang at nine sharp and he would be there watching trying to keep his distance but he felt pulled to her. He wished he could explain why he brought her back but she had to come to the conclusion herself. She was his mate. His mother had explained how she knew right after Sophia had left four years ago. The connection they shared is what tipped her off.

The first time he had seen her preform he thought she sang like an angel. He had gone backstage to tell her but when he got to her dressing room door he had heard her talking to someone on the phone. It only took a minute to realize that James was on the other end. She spoke to him with tears in her voice and he barely heard her whisper that she loves him.

Luke heard someone clear their throat behind him. Sheriff Matt Donner was standing in the doorway hands on his belt. "How can I help you Sheriff?"

Matt strolled in taking the seat in front of Luke's desk. "I want to talk to you about Sophia."

Luke reclined in his chair thinking here it comes. "I know you are not happy that I brought her back but she belongs here. She belongs with me."

"I know and that is why I wanted to talk to you. Four years ago your mother asked me to make Sophia stay. I let her go. It's not what you are thinking though."

Luke studied him for a moment noticing how much the man had changed. He had aged and he looked tired. Luke knew he had a hard time when Sophia left but he had missed how much it showed on his face. "You mean you didn't let her leave because you don't like me," he asked skeptically.

"No, she needed time on her own. I wanted her to choose you on her own not because nature picked you." Matt stood up and paced around the room.

"Then why did you teach her to not flip?"

"I knew you would want to know. I was worried that she would fiip and something would go wrong. She was too far away for her to get help so I taught her how to not flip," Matt walked back to the door leaning against it for support. "She can decide if she wants to flip or not. The power is within her. You just have to convince her that she should."

Sophia stood on the stage at Alley Nine getting ready for tonight's performance. She had picked a few songs for her set list but was happy that she only had to do an hour tonight. The owner had booked a local band to finish out the night which meant time off for Sophia.

Just as she was ending her practice she saw the bar staff coming in which included Presley. Most of the time they ignored each other which was fine with her. She had actually felt nervous to work with Luke's Friday night toy but the club was usually busy and their paths didn't cross.

She knew Luke would be there tonight like he usually was. The thought that Presley must be extremely jealous made her smile. Luke came in every night to hear her but he kept his distance. She had to admit that she had been rough on him since she had been back. She hadn't spoken to him and would walk away when he came near. Tonight she would have to talk to him.

She still didn't understand. What would cause Luke to bring her back home? Yes, they were friends but there was no reason for him to need her there. Sophia thought a lot about New York and mostly about James. He had called a few times but she had picked up only once. The rest of his calls were sent directly to voicemail.

Later that night when her set was done Sophia walked over to Luke who was sitting in the back of the room. "Walk me home," she asked him.

She saw the look of surprise on his face but it was quickly replaced with his smile. They walked out of the club heading towards her townhouse. For a few blocks they didn't talk but when they reached her father's home she stopped. "I have two things to ask of you."

"Oh, so you don't talk to me for a month but you want a favor," he teased.

"Melody, one of my friends from school, is on break and she wanted to know if she could come visit me. I told her I will have to check my schedule but I wanted to know if it was okay. I know we don't usually invite visitors but it would be nice to see someone from New York."

Luke grabbed her hand causing goosebumps to appear on her arm. "I think that would be okay."

Sophia started walking again but she didn't let his hand go. The last time she had held his hand was when they were at the diner watching his parents dance. "The other thing I wanted to know was if I could stay with you while she is here. The apartment is too small for two people and I don't feel like living on the couch for a month."

This time Luke stopped walking," you are always welcome in my home." Sophia didn't know what happened but all of a sudden her lips were on his and they were kissing. She let herself have this moment feeling the world slip away and the only two people who mattered was Luke and her.

Somehow they made it the last block to her house where they said their goodbyes. The only thought in her head was what now?

Luke walked home feeling ten feet tall. She had felt it. She may not know what it was between them like he did but she had felt it. This beautiful, sophisticated woman was his mate and he wasn't going to let anything stop him from having her. He had been with a few women in his life but none compared to her. His mother had tried to explain the pull of a mate but it was truly indescribable.

The next morning he was again sitting in his father's office when Sophia walked in. "I don't want to beat around the bush so I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry about last night. I am missing James and I think that is why I kissed you."

Luke felt deflated. Last night had been amazing to him yet here she was saying sorry like it was a mistake. He wanted nothing more than to tell her the truth of why he brought her back right this moment.

"Don't worry about it. I think we can still be friends. It might be a little weird for a while."

"I will try my best not to maul you again," she laughed. He loved the sound of her laugh. It was a sound he had missed while she was gone. "So what is it like taking over your dad's job?"

He thought about it for a second," strange. I don't think I will be as good as he was. The pack loved him and they were loyal to him. Most of the pack sees me as the troubled kid I used to be as a teen."

"I don't see you like that. You have a calm about you that you didn't have when you were younger."

"It's only been four years."

"A lot can happen in four years," she said sitting on the desk in front of him.

"Yeah, just look at you. You've grown up, you're beautiful," he whispered the last part bringing his face close to hers.

"Luke," she said placing her hand on his chest," I don't think we should make the same mistake two times in a row."

He backed up,"the pack would rather my mom kept the job. She keeps telling me that she was just holding it till I was ready to take over."

"Are you ready?"

"There are days when I think so."

"What about today," she asked.

"I'll have to tell you later."

She laughed again getting up from the desk. "Got any food around here? I'm starving."

"I think my mom may have dropped off some groceries the other day."

"What, you can't go shopping for yourself?" She headed for the kitchen with Luke following behind.

"Well, I am Alpha. I have lowly subjects to do it for me."

"Oh, so that's how you lead. I don't know if I want to be part of the pack." She opened the frigerator door searching his shelves. She pulled out some bread, butter, and cheese. "Grilled cheese sandwich?"

He nodded watching her work. She looked good in his home. She belonged here. "Actually, I haven't been eating well lately. The groceries were just her way of telling me I need to eat more."

"You should have told me. I could have made a steak or something. James taught me how to make a mean steak." Luke watched her pause and her eyes filled with tears.

Luke grabbed her hand,"it's going to get easier." She smiled at him getting back to work. "When is Melody coming?"

"She should be here in a week. I am so excited. It was hard leaving New York. My life was there."

"Hey Sophia, I know this has been hard on you but you do belong here. Even though you haven't fllipped you are one of us. I found that out the night you threw me on my car."

She giggled, flipping the sandwiches over. "Whatever happened to that old beater?"

He made a face at her,"don't be mean to old Bessie. I fixed her up after you left. My mom talked me into selling her last year. You should have seen me cry. I wept like a baby."

She pulled the sandwiches off the stove putting them on plates,"well you always were a big baby."

Sophia smirked at him and before he knew it he was chasing her around the house.

The next week went fast and on Friday Sophia had moved into Luke's home. The room she had been given was huge and she was pretty sure she could fit five of her bathrooms into this one room. The walls were a sunny yellow which went well with the cherry furniture. The four poster bed stood at seven feet tall and looked hand carved.

Sophia headed downstairs feeling excited by the fact that her best friend would be showing up today. She had spent most of the week cleaning the apartment from top to bottom and some getting to know Luke again. He had changed a lot since she left. There was a confidence in him that had nothing to do with arrogance.

Sophia saw Luke out on the patio eating his breakfast. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"No, please," he motioned to the chair next to him.

"What are you looking at," she asked picking up the photo album closest to her.

"Just looking at some old photos. Here," he said handing her the one in his hand. The picture was of the two of them a few months before she left Wolf Lake. The girl in the picture had long brown hair and she was looking at Luke with a longing in her eyes Sophia didn't know had been there. Part of her wondered what happened to that girl. It had been a while since she had felt like her.

"Why are you so quiet?"

"I was head over heels in love with you," she said running her finger over the picture.

Luke's smile faded from his lips."What happened?"

She couldn't pin point the moment she had changed her mind about him. "I guess I just grew up and figured out that our lives were going in different directions."

"Yet here we are." Sophia scanned the yard noticing how beautiful the day was. There were birds singing and the sky was a beautiful blue with no clouds.

"Luke, since I haven't flipped, why did I need to come back?"

He kept his eyes on the photos when he answered," we can't make exceptions to the rules. Anyone who knows our secret needs to be watched."

"You know I wouldn't tell anyone." Before Luke could respond Vivian walked out onto the porch.

"Good morning,"Vivian said cheerfully. She sat down on Luke's other side before picking up some of the photos they had been looking at.

Sophia rose,"I will see you later. I'm going to wait for Melody at the apartment. It was nice to see you Vivian."

Luke watched Sophia leave feeling guilty for not telling her the truth. This was his mate and all he had done since she returned was lie to her. What kind of relationship can they have when it is built on lies? The worst part was that she had loved him and he messed it up by sleeping with Presley. He didn't even like Presley. She had been just a toy to him. He was definitely paying for the mistakes he had made.

"It's going to be all right," his mother placed her hand over his.

"She's not going to give me a chance once she finds out I lied to her." Luke stood up to pace around the patio. This was getting complicated.

"Why didn't you tell her the truth when you went to New York?"

He thought about that for a second. Why hadn't he? For a million reasons, but mostly because he didn't think she would come back with him just because she was his mate. She thought he was selfish and she might think he was making it up just so he could get what he wants. "I didn't think she would believe me."

"Then give it time. She will figure it out for herself."

"Why did you tell me? Why didn't you let me figure it out for myself?"

He saw her hesitate,"because you didn't have time. She was leaving and I didn't want you to let her go."

"I love her. I can't explain how good it feels to have her back home. It was like a piece of me was missing when she was gone." He came up to his mom putting his arms around her.

"I'm sure she felt the same way. She just didn't understand it." He stood there just hugging her trying to draw some of her strength. Sometimes he wished he was as strong as his mother. She had handled the pack for four years without any help. Even his father had needed her when he was Alpha.


	2. Chapter 2

Sophia paced the living room waiting for Melody to arrive. She wasn't the only reason Sophia was anxious. There was something going on with Luke. She noticed that he was nervous this morning. She had asked him why she had needed to come back and he had given her this lame excuse about needing to keep an eye on her.

Luke knew she wouldn't go around spouting all their secrets. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was one of them and that meant it was her secret too. What she really couldn't understand was this pull between the two of them. She still had feelings for James but she got this feeling of belonging when she was with Luke. What was weird was the fact that he was okay with this new development in their relationship.

Outside the apartment Sophia heard a car door close. She ran out to meet Melody throwing her arms around her.

"I am so glad to see you," Sophia pulled back.

"Well, if you hadn't run away we could still see each other every day."

Sophia rolled her eyes grabbing one of the suitcases Melody had pulled out of the car. "It's complicated."

"Yeah, you told me that when you left. All I know is this hunk shows up at school one day and the next day you are heading to Nowheresville, USA."

"It's not as bad as all that."

The girls headed into the house dropping the bags in the bedroom before heading out to grab the last of her stuff.

"I don't know, this latte-a-holic didn't see one Starbucks in town."

"You'll live, I promise." Sophia threw the last of Melody's things on the bed before falling down on top of it.

"So level with me. What would make you leave school, James, and me? What would cause you to come back to a place where you felt trapped?"

Sophia felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She had asked herself the same question over and over since she had returned. "Melody, you are my best friend and I don't want to lie to you but I can't tell you either. I have to keep this secret."

Melody flopped on the bed sending Sophia to the floor. "Fine, be that way."

When Sophia got up Melody was laughing hiding her face under her pillow.

"You are such a punk."

Luke saw very little of Sophia in the next week. He knew she would be spending all her time with Melody but it didn't stop him from missing her. He had met Melody two days after she had arrived when he had caught them up at the lake.

Luke had to admit she was very pretty. She stood a full foot shorter than Sophia with brown hair and hazel eyes. They had been skinny dipping in the lake and the fact that he had caught them must have been funny because they both busted out laughing. The girls ran to grab their towels covering themselves up.

"So you're Luke," she said extending her hand, which seemed mildly inappropriate given the way he had found them. "You're the reason my best friend disappeared overnight."

"Melody," Sophia stammered knocking her friend with her elbow.

Luke laughed before shaking her hand. "Yes, I guess that would be me."

"Are you her betrothed or something? I mean that is the reason she had to leave isn't it. Your parents decided when you were little that you would be perfect for each other and now you have to marry?"

Luke watched Sophia's face turn beet red. "No. She had a family issue she had to take care of. It's complicated."

"So she keeps telling me."

Both girls grabbed their clothes running into the woods to change leaving Luke standing by himself. This lake brought back so many memories. Most of them were not good. He had spent a lot of time here throughout high school with the hill kids. He had always been part of the in crowd but he expected a lot of that was because his dad was Alpha. They knew whom to suck up to. One day they knew he was going to be Alpha and who would want to double cross him?

When they finally came back to the clearing Luke was picking up their stuff loading it into their car. "What are you ladies up to tonight?"

"I have to be at the club tonight. What about you Mel?"

"I think I might ask this handsome man here over for dinner. Then maybe he will sit for me."

When he failed to say anything Sophia jumped in," Melody's a painter."

"Don't worry, I don't bite."

Sophia laughed," much."

Melody stuck her tongue out. "If you tell him that he will get the wrong impression. Anyways I don't know anyone in town and this lady is bailing on me. What do you say?"

Luke didn't have to consider it very long. "Okay." He figured he could use Melody for information on Sophia. If not, becoming friends with her would certainly give him brownie points with Sophia.

That evening he showed up at Sophia's place with a bottle of wine. The place smelled of her and it drove him crazy. Lately he felt like a starving man standing outside a burger joint. He could smell it but couldn't partake of it. It was torture being so near to her and not being able to tell her how he feels.

Luke knocked on the door and listened to Melody scrambling inside. When she answered the door she was wearing a red halter top dress that went down to about her knees and her hair was pinned up and falling in waves on her shoulders.

"Am I under dressed," he asked looking at the jeans and polo shirt he had on.

"No, you look great," she said grabbing the wine bottle out of his hands and leading him into the apartment. "I hope you like spaghetti. It's the only thing I know how to make without burning it. Actually, scratch that, I did burn it once but it was because I was busy doing something else and I forgot I was cooking."

"Don't worry, I have the pizza place in town on speed dial should anything go wrong."

Melody stepped around the counter putting mitts on. She picked up the pot and dropped the spaghetti in the strainer. "So how long have you been in love with Sophia?"

Luke coughed," you get right to the point, don't you?"

Luke watched a mischievous grin spread across her face. "I figure I have four hours till she gets home. I want as much information as I can get out of you." She picked up the plates of spaghetti and set them on the table motioning for him to sit down.

"Do you mind if I plead the fifth?" He said a prayer over his food before digging in. The pasta was very good. For someone who acted like she didn't cook, he could tell she had made the sauce from scratch.

"You can plead it all you want. Whether I believe you is another story." They ate in silence for a while both lost in their own thoughts. He wondered if he had been that obvious about his love for Sophia. He had tried to keep his distance not wanting to push her away. "She told me you guys kissed a week ago."

"Did she also tell you she apologized for it the next day?"

"You can't expect her to be ready to move on, when two months ago she thought she might marry James."

He was taken aback. He didn't know she had been so serious about this guy. Had he been selfish bringing her back after all? He kept telling her that she was part of the pack. Wasn't he supposed to look out for their best interest over his own? "She doesn't need to be ready to move on. I will wait for her. I would do anything for her."

"Even let her go?"

Sophia closed the door of the house with a soft click. She didn't want to wake Luke since it was three o'clock in the morning. She pressed her hand to her cheek feeling the bruise she knew was there. She made her way over to the stairs when the light from the living room came on. Luke walked over to the staircase looking half asleep.

"What time is it," he asked through his yawn.

"Late. What are you doing down here?"

"I must have fallen asleep on the couch. It wasn't a good idea, my neck is killing me." He made his way up the stairs with her following. When they got to her room he turned to say goodnight but she turned her head and he noticed her bruise. His eyes came alive bringing him out of his fog. "Who hit you," he growled low.

"It's nothing," she tried hiding it but he grabbed her chin turning her face back to him. "There was a fight at the club. I just was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Sophia the side of your face is the size of a grapefruit. Somebody is going to pay."

Sophia felt rage radiating from him. She had to admit she could feel his rage within herself. She took his hand trying to calm him. "No one hit me. I was trying to get around the fight when one of them bumped into me. I lost my footing and hit the handle on the door."

He must have taken this explanation because he dropped his hand. "I'm tired so I'm going to put something on this for a while and go to bed," she stepped out of his grasp opening the door to her bedroom.

"Sophia, I don't want you working in that club anymore." He grabbed her hand leading her downstairs. "Sit," he ordered pointing at the couch. He walked out of the room making his way into the kitchen. When he came back he had a bag of ice in his hands. "You can tell Pete that you are quitting tomorrow."

She grabbed the ice out of his hands putting it against her cheek. She winced feeling pain course through her. "No. I like my job."

"I don't care. You quit tomorrow or I will do it for you."

She stood up feeling anger building up inside her. "Luke, you have been ordering people around your entire life. I don't answer to you. The fact that you're Alpha means nothing to me. I like my job and I will continue to work there if I want to."

"Sophia," he whispered with a smile forming on his face," look."

She turned around wondering what he was staring at. In the mirror she saw her eyes glowing. She turned back to him. "It hasn't done that in years."

"Welcome back."

She didn't sleep the rest of the night. There was so much running through her head. Why was Luke acting so weird? He was being very protective of her. There must be more going on then he was telling her. He had yet to give her a clear answer to why he brought her back in the first place. When the sun came up she finally drifted off to sleep.

Luke woke up the next morning feeling as if something big had happened but he couldn't place what it was. The night before flooded back to him and he realized that Sophia had shown signs of flipping. They had been fighting.

Luke got dressed and made his way down the hallway. He stopped outside her door listening to her breathing. She was still fast asleep. He opened the door quietly making his way over to the bed. Her bruise looked worse this morning. It covered quite a bit of her face.

He made his way out of her room and down to his office. He was ready to start the day and first thing on his list was to find out what had happened at the club last night. He didn't want her working there but he knew she was going to fight him on it.

In his office he found his mother sitting at his desk staring at a picture of his father. "Morning, mother."

She got up coming to give him a hug. "I hope you don't mind that I let myself in. Sean told me what happened at the club last night so I came over to see how Sophia is doing."

"How did Sean hear about it?" He walked over to the desk looking through the pile of papers.

"He was the one who knocked into her."

Luke pulled the paper he was looking for out of the stack. "Is he too afraid to come over here himself?"

"He's thinking you might kill him," she laughed.

"I haven't decided yet."

Vivian walked over to the portrait of his father that she had been staring at earlier. "He doesn't need to worry. You're going to be too busy to kill him."

"Why's that?"

He watched her turn towards him a wary expression on her face. "Presley has gone missing."

Sophia woke up to a throbbing in the side of her head. It took everything in her to get up and get dressed. Once she even had to sit down because she was so dizzy. The person in the mirror looked terrible with the right side of her face colored black and blue. She did the best she could hiding it with makeup and with a sigh, headed downstairs.

Sophia heard talking in the office and decided to check out what was going on. Luke, his mom, and her dad were huddled around the desk in a heated discussion. They were focused and didn't hear her approach. As she got closer she could feel Luke's uneasiness, something was up.

Luke was the first to notice her standing there. He rushed over to her inspecting her face. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she said giving him a weak smile," just a little dizzy."

He started rubbing her good cheek with his thumb," how about I get you some aspirin and we get some ice on that and maybe, because I am such a nice guy, I will make you breakfast," he teased. Luke looked back at the other two," how about we pick this back up in an hour. I will meet you at the police station. I need to get this beautiful lady taken care of."

When Vivian and her dad had left, Luke and Sophia had breakfast then took their coffee out on the patio. "Luke, you have been uneasy all morning. What is going on?"

He turned to her," do you remember seeing Presley last night at work?"

Sophia thought back to the night before. Alley Nine had been busy with a line outside that wrapped all the way around the building. Before she had gone on to perform she had gone to the bar to get a glass of water. She couldn't remember seeing Presley there. "I don't think she was working last night."

"Do you know if she stopped in to get her paycheck or grab a drink?" He scooted forward in his seat.

"I spent most of my time backstage. I don't know." Sophia lifted the ice back to her cheek. Then it hit her," I did see her. She was part of the fight last night."

Luke got up to kneel in front of her. "Did you see what happened? Did she leave with anyone?"

"I left before the fight ended. I figured I had done enough damage to myself. No need for someone else to finish the job."

Luke pushed her hair back behind her ear." Do you remember whom she was there with? Could you point them out if you saw them?"

"I don't know. It was pretty dark. What is going on?"

"Presley is missing."

"That's what I broke up? Luke, you have more important things to be doing besides looking after me."

She stood up making her way into the house when he grabbed her hand. "Your dad is getting volunteers and setting up a perimeter. There is nothing I could have done for her in the last hour. My duty was here taking care of you."

She put her hand against his cheek savoring the feel of skin on skin. She had missed him while she lived in New York. The man who stood in front of her was an amazing person. He had learned how to love others in the time they had been apart. One day he would be a good husband to some lucky lady but she didn't understand why the thought of him being with someone else hurt so much. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"It's okay to get help every now and then." He kissed her on the forehead. "I got to go. Call me if you need anything."

Sophia was resting on the couch when Melody walked in. "Wow. That is one good shiner. I could belt you one to even it out," she joked waving her fist.

"No, thanks." She sat up giving Melody room to sit down. "I thought you would be out with the search party."

"I was but Luke asked me to come check on you."

This was not something she wanted to hear. The person Luke had been before she moved was someone she could handle. This new Luke made her very uneasy. "You know that I am a rational person. I don't do things on a whim. I always have a plan."

"I'm not following. Maybe you hit your head harder than I thought," she laughed.

"This can't happen again," Sophia said making her way over to the French doors that overlooked the backyard.

"It would be nice if you let me in on this conversation."

Sophia turned around feeling tears stream down her face. "I think I am falling for him."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Sophia sank to the ground pulling her knees up to her chin. "You should have seen his face when he talked about Presley. He still loves her."

"Didn't you tell me that they are friends?" Sophia shook her head. "Then of course he is going to be upset. That doesn't mean he loves her."

Sophia thought back to her conversation with Luke. He had been frantic to get any information from her he could. Presley was out there somewhere and he was looking for her right now. "There are so many reasons we can't be together."

"Name one smarty pants."

He is a skin walker, she thought. He is Alpha of the pack. He needed to be with someone like him. Unfortunately she couldn't discuss any of these reasons with her. It would be nice to have someone quiet her fears but telling Melody their secret would only open another can of worms. "We aren't right for each other."

"I think you need to let Luke decide if you are right for each other," she sank down beside Sophia.

"If he loves her I would just be getting in the way. I don't want to get hurt again."

"Soph, if you don't open yourself up with the possibility of being hurt you're also not opening yourself up to be loved."

"When did you get to be so smart?"

"I watch Oprah." She hugged Sophia close to her while they laughed.

The first thing Luke noticed when he walked in his house was how quiet it was. He hoped Sophia was resting. The fact that she had been dizzy this morning made him nervous. What if she had a concussion?

He made his way up the stairs and stopped outside of her door. She was hunched over a keyboard writing something on a pad of paper. When she was done she sat up straight putting her fingers back on the keys and started to play. The music was slow and she started swaying to the beat.

"What are you playing?" He saw her jump and the music vanished.

She shrugged," just something I'm working on." She went back to playing, humming along with the music. He thought about the fact that she would be moving out in two weeks. How was he going to get her to stay?

"Sophia, I think we need to talk." She turned to him letting the music fade.

"Have you found Presley yet," she asked interrupting him.

"No, but at least we are narrowing down where she could be. I spoke to Sean and he said that they were drunk when they left the club. He remembers getting into her car but not how he got home."

"I wish I could have been more help."

"You were help. Sean should have been more responsible. Sometimes I can't believe I was ever friends with either one of them."

"You're not friends with them?"

He shrugged," we talk."

"You want to know something crazy," she asked. "I thought you were in love with Presley."

He walked over to her," no, I'm not. That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Before he could finish his statement his cell phone went off.

"We found her," he heard Matt Donner say.

"Where was she? Is she okay?" He stood up making his way to the door. "I will be there in a few minutes."

"They found her," Sophia asked walking up to him.

"Yeah. I got to get to the hospital. Do you want to come?"

Luke made his way to Presley's room by himself hoping to talk to her about the night she disappeared. When he got close to the bed he grabbed her hand waking her up. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, the doctor said that I broke my leg and I am a little dehydrated."

Presley sat up coming awake. He sat down on the bed," what were you doing out there?"

"Kevin and Sean were in a fight last night and when it was broken up Sean and I decided to go for a run."

"Sean told me that he left the club in your car."

She looked away from him. "I got down the road and realized I was too drunk to drive. We split up and my foot got tangled. I hit a tree and it broke my leg." She scooted closer to him putting her hand on his cheek. "I'm glad you're here."

He took her hand pulling it away from his face. "I came to make sure you were okay."

Her eyes narrowed," I forgot. You're off limits. You know we used to have good times together."

"Those days are over. You know that."

"What is it about Sophia? You haven't been able to get her out of your head since she left. You treat her as if she…" She stopped, realization crossing her face. "That's why you went to New York."

"No, she is one of us which means she belongs here."

"You went to New York and took her away from the life she made because she is your mate. You are so selfish. Rumor has it she had a fiancée. I'll bet you haven't even told her why you brought her back."

Luke sighed running his hands through his hair. "She didn't belong in New York. She belongs here with me. I am her mate and I will tell her when I find the right moment."

"Hopefully this was it," she said shaking her head towards the door. Luke turned around in time to see Sophia running away.

Luke stood in the doorway of the bedroom Sophia was staying in. She was packing a suitcase that was laid out on her bed. "This looks familiar."

"Then you won't be confused when I leave." She walked over to the bureau grabbing shirts and pants.

"Sophia, I didn't lie to you."

"You weren't honest with me either. You know I had a good life in New York," she stopped turning her full fury on him. "I'm guessing there is no reason why I need to stay here now."

"You do not have permission to leave Wolf Lake. If you do I will send someone after you."

"Bringing me back here was all for you. It wasn't because I belong here. It was because you were afraid to lose me. You didn't even think about my feelings."

"I did think about your feelings. Even though you won't believe me, I feel bad for taking you away from New York."

"He would have married me."

"He would have never made you feel even half of the way I make you feel. You are my other half Sophia. Don't tell me you haven't felt the connection between us."

She put the last shirt in the suitcase and closed it walking up to Luke. "You want me? It's going to be hard being Alpha with a wife who can't flip."

He grabbed her arm squeezing it," are you threatening me?"

She tugged her arm out of his reach, "No, I'm just telling you the facts. I haven't flipped and I don't plan on it."

He watched her eyes turn yellow blazing at him and then go back to their original color. Echoing the words he said to her four years ago, "don't leave."

She gave a half smile," I have to."


	3. Chapter 3

Sophia spent the next week getting ready for Melody to leave. This was going to be hard. There were times when she felt so alone in Wolf Lake. Of course she had been avoiding Luke and he was the only other friend she had.

She had seen him once or twice in the past week and he had looked very tired as if he hadn't gotten much sleep. She felt the same way. Most of her nights consisted of tossing and turning on the couch. She wasn't sure if she had been too hard on him. According to her dad, knowing who your mate was that early was rare. He felt that they had a special connection.

"You know, you could be one of the seven dwarfs. I know that would make it the eight dwarfs but we could call you Mopey." Melody laughed at her joke while finishing the last touches on her painting. "Why don't you just go talk to him? I don't know why you are fighting with him but he looks miserable."

Sophia walked up to the painting Melody was working on. "It looks just like him." The painting was of Luke the night he had dinner with Melody.

"I hope so. If not I'm getting paid too much for my paintings."

"I'm going to miss you Mel," Sophia said putting her head on her shoulder.

"Come back to New York with me."

Sophia sighed thinking that she would love nothing more than to get out of this town. "I can't. Anyways, you always told me not to run away from my problems."

"Did I say that?" She got up to wash out the brushes she had been using. "I need to work on the advice I give out."

The doorbell rang and Sophia got up to answer it. "If it's pizza my wallet is on the bed," Melody called out to her.

When Sophia opened the door she was surprised by who was in Wolf Lake. James stood on her doorstep. "I would have called to warn you but I was afraid you would disappear again." Sophia stood there mesmerized by the man in front of her. "Can I come in," he asked.

She didn't answer, just stepped aside. "How did you find me?" Before he could answer Melody came around the corner. "James, you made it."

"Yeah, you gave good directions. The place wasn't hard to find."

Sophia felt trapped. Her friend had set this all up. "If you will excuse us," she said grabbing Melody's arm and tugging her into the bedroom. "What did you do?"

"I knew you would be mad." She sat down on the bed picking up a pillow.

"Mad? I'm livid. I broke up with him when I left New York. You didn't think this would be weird."

Melody began playing with a thread that was hanging off the pillow. "You didn't really break up with him. You left him. This is your chance Soph. You are not sure about your feelings for Luke or James. This gives you the opportunity to find out."

"Where is he going to stay? How is this going to work?"

Melody shrugged," there is a hotel in town that he can stay at. As for you, I don't know how you are going to handle this but you need to make up your mind. I invited James here so that you could do just that." She got up and put her hands on Sophia's shoulders. "You can do this."

The thought running through her mind right then was, how would Luke handle James being in town? Sophia knew skin walkers were very protective. This was not going to go well.

Sophia made her way back into the living room where James was waiting. "Sorry about that."

He walked up to her cupping her face with his hands. "It's good to see you."

She smiled up at him trying to remember what it used to feel like to be in his arms. The only thing she felt now was emptiness. There was something missing in his touch. Skin on skin contact used to make her ache for more. "How long are you staying," she asked backing out of his touch.

"I have a business meeting I need to be at on Friday so maybe a day." They both sat down on the couch taking each other in. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we still have something worth saving."

"I know I left suddenly but I had a family issue I had to take care of."

"That's what you said in your note but seeing you tonight I wonder if it isn't something else."

"Something else?"

"Or maybe someone else?"

Sophia thought about it. Was there someone else? Luke had grown up as a skin walker. There was never any doubt about who he was going to be. Sophia, on the other hand, grew up thinking that it was a long shot if she was going to be one of them. The whole mate theory, of two souls connected together, was foreign to her. Was Luke really her mate? She had talked to her dad about it and all he said was that if Luke were her mate he would feel the connection more than she would because he had already flipped. He had also said that he believed Luke was telling the truth. "The truth is I'm not sure if there is someone else."

"Give me one day. Go out with me tomorrow night. We will spend time together and it will give you a chance to make up your mind."

"I can't. It's open mike night at the club I work at and I have to be there just in case they need someone to fill in any time slots."

"How about I go with you?"

She saw the plea in his eyes and she couldn't refuse him. She nodded and was given a hug. "Tomorrow at eight. The club is called Alley Nine."

"I will be there." He said his goodbye and left.

Sophia saw Melody peek around the corner," you're not off the hook for this one."

Luke walked in to Alley Nine trying to stay out of Sophia's sight. He had heard that James was in town and he didn't want her to think that he was spying on them even though he was. The place was crowded and it took a while for Luke to find an empty seat. Around him were singers and musicians warming up for their slots. Towards the front of the club he saw Sophia, Melody, and James sitting around a table having drinks and laughing. It took only a minute for Melody to notice him sitting in the back. He saw her whisper something to Sophia then made her way towards him.

"Don't worry they haven't made wedding plans yet," she joked taking the seat beside him.

"That's a load off of my mind," he answered dryly.

"You should join us. They aren't talking about how many kids they are going to have yet." She smiled at him," The trick is to act natural. Like nothing is wrong."

"It's that easy?"

"It's better than sitting back here wondering what they are talking about." She stood up offering her hand. He took it and let her lead him to the front.

"Look who I found," she said once they had reached the table. The first thing he noticed was how beautiful Sophia looked.

"Luke, right," James asked offering his hand. Luke shook it remembering how hard he had squeezed the first time.

He sat down beside James listening to the conversation. They spoke mostly about New York and a few stories about the paintings Melody had sold. He watched Sophia noticing that she avoided his gaze as much as she could.

"We have two open spots," he heard Pete say walking up to the four of them.

"That is a lot better than last month," Sophia said getting up.

"Wait, I know someone who could fill a spot," Melody interrupted. She turned her head towards James.

"I don't think so," he shook his head.

"You told me that you have been working on some songs. How about you play one? When is the last time you played the guitar?"

Luke watched Sophia's face light up," we could do one together."

Half an hour later Luke and Melody sat alone at the table waiting for James and Sophia to take the stage. When they took the stage James had a guitar in his hand and they both walked up to their mikes taking a seat on the stools.

"Good evening," James started," this lovely lady and I are going to do an older song called _Missing You."_

They began singing and Luke couldn't help but watch her face. They were singing this song of love lost and he decided he couldn't take this anymore. He got up and walked out.

When he reached his home he noticed that the light was on in his office. His mother was lying on the couch that had been moved from the living room. "You look terrible," his mother commented.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"I heard that your competition is in town."

"Yup, when I left they were singing love songs to each other," he rolled his eyes.

She patted the seat beside her. He sat down putting his head against the back of the couch. "What are you going to do?"

"I told her she couldn't leave Wolf Lake but I think its just added to our problems."

"My son, I love you but you don't know much about women and even less about Sophia. This whole thing has been about choices. She was angry with you for bringing her back from New York because she wanted to choose where she lived. She was angry when she found out she was your mate because she doesn't feel like she has a choice in the matter. In the last two months you have told her exactly how she is going to live. How would you feel if you were in her shoes?"

Luke hadn't thought about it that way. When it came down to it he had trapped her. "So now what do I do?"

She smiled," the hardest thing you will ever have to do. Let her go." He stood up to pace around the office. "This time you will let her decide what she wants."

"What if she chooses him?"

"Then it will hurt for a while but you will be fine."

Later that night Luke was still pacing in his office drinking any bit of alcohol he could get his hands on. It surprised him that he could even stand, let alone walk. This evening had wrecked him and the last thing he wanted to do was remember it when he woke up the next day.

The scene at the club kept going through his mind. He had been singing to her. This jerk from New York had shown up and ruined everything. Luke had no doubt that he could have gotten her back if he hadn't shown up. Sophia was his mate and he wanted her so bad he could almost feel her.

Then he realized that she was standing right behind him. "You left the club." She stood in the doorway not moving closer.

"Did you miss me," he asked slurring his words. "Or were you too busy to notice that I left."

"I didn't come over here to fight with you," she said pulling her loose hair behind her ear. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Watching you serenade him was the highlight of my evening." He strolled over to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you."

He leaned over her," as you can see I am just fine." He grabbed her arms roughly," his scent is all over you. You reek of him. It's driving me crazy," he said before claiming her mouth. His kiss was passionate and rough. He wanted to pour all of his emotions into this kiss and into her. He ran his fingers through her hair and down her back. She kissed him back clinging to him as if he was her lifeline. He picked her up carrying her up the stairs and towards his bedroom. All he wanted to do was claim her as his own.

When they reached his room he set her down and pushed her up against the wall. He started kissing her again until he felt her hand push against his chest.

"We can't do this," she whispered.

"Would you rather have him?"

"This isn't about him. This would only be about you stacking your claim. Not because you love me but because you don't want him to have me."

Luke thought back to what his mom said. He had to let her go. She would never choose him if he was bullying her. He pushed her away from him drawing all the strength he could," get out of here. You want him go to him."

He saw tears form in her eyes and fall down her cheeks. "Everything has always had to be in black and white for you. This isn't like that. I had a life with him but you bring me back here and this works too. I can't make this decision on a whim. No matter what I decide to do someone is going to get hurt."

"Get out," he yelled. She left and he passed out on his bed.

Luke woke up the next day with a pounding in his head that wouldn't go away. He had slept in his clothes and he had a sinking feeling that something bad happened the night before. He hadn't been drunk like this in a long time and he couldn't understand why he had decided to do it last night. Just then he heard a pounding on his door causing him to get dressed and ready for what the day would bring him.

"Boy did you blow it last night," said Melody moving past him into the house. "She came home in hysterics. If you think you're getting any brownie points you are mistaken."

"Melody, if I had any idea what you are talking about I'm sure I would hate myself right now but since I have no earthly clue, can you tell me what happened?"

"You were more drunk than she let on. From what I got out of her you kissed her and then told her to get out and go to James."

The night before came crashing back to him," I'm an idiot."

"Yes, you are. I thought the point was to get her back not push her into the arms of another man." She made her way into the kitchen pulling a cookie from his cookie jar. "What are you going to do?"

"I guess an apology would be a good place to start."

"Probably but you may want to do it quick."

"Why?"

"She is leaving for New York in," she looked at her watch," five minutes."

Sophia was pushing the last box into her car when Luke showed up. "Don't go. I'm not telling you that you have to stay. This isn't an order. I am just asking you to stay."

"Luke, don't do this."

"I want you to make your own decision but I want you to choose me."

She sat down on the back of the car looking him in the eye," James left this morning. He's going home where he belongs."

"Then why are you going to New York?"

"New York? Melody and I are going camping."

He looked confused for a second. "She tricked me into apologizing."

Sophia laughed," she does have a few tricks up her sleeve. We were going out for two nights before she left."

He sat down beside her and pulled her in close. She rested her head on his shoulder and he was sure nothing else had been this perfect. "So now what," he asked.

"I think that when I get back we should start over."

"That sounds good but only if you stay at my house. It's too quiet without you."

"I guess that would be okay."

Luke hung around until the girls left and watched her car disappear in the distance. Even though he knew he would see her again, he knew they still had things to work out. He was Alpha and she hadn't flipped. What would he do if she decided not to? Despite the problems that still lay ahead he found himself walking home with a smile on his face.

The End

*_Contemplating writing a third season. Please review this season and give me an idea if you would like to see a third season written. Hope you enjoyed._


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